The results are in
Local results follow larger trend
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HOUGHTON COUNTY -- Copper Country voters followed district-wide trends in state and federal elections in Tuesday's primaries. Millages and bonds passed in Baraga, Ontonagon, Keweenaw and Houghton counties.
A tough U.S. Senate primary saw Dr. Abdul El-Sayed win Houghton County by more than 900 votes. Incumbent Jack Bergman and Democratic challenger Callie Barr won their respective U.S. House First District primary races.
In the Gubernatorial primary, current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson won the Democratic nomination over former Flint-area sheriff Chris Swanson, by winning more than 87% of the vote in Houghton County. She was declared the winner Tuesday evening and won 83.2% of the state-wide vote at press time. Republican U.S. Congressman John James won 50% of the vote, beating out businessman Perry Johnson, and withdrawn candidates Mike Cox and Aric Nesbitt for the Republican nomination. James also won half of the electorate in the state at 50.1%. James and Benson will face off in November.
For the U.S. Senate, after a tight primary race with a record amount of spending and fundraising, El-Sayed, the former City of Detroit and Wayne County health official, narrowly beat Congresswoman Haley Stevens in the Democratic Primary.
El-Sayed was declared the winner of the race by the Associated Press Wednesday morning. He won Houghton County with 58% of the vote, beating Stevens by 21 points. At the state level, the race was much closer. El-Sayed walked away the winner, capturing 48.5% of the vote, beating Stevens by one point. Other ballots in the U.S. Senate race were cast to Mallory McMorrow, who dropped out of the race a few weeks ago.
Republican Mike Rogers ran unopposed in the Republican Primary. He will run against El-Sayed in the general.
Bergman won his congressional primary in a landslide in Houghton County, capturing 76.8% of the vote. He beat Matthew DenOtter and Justin Michal in the entire first congressional district with 71.1% of the vote.
Barr is looking to face Bergman again after losing to him in the 2024 general election. She beat self-described Democratic Socialist primary challenger Kyle Blomquist and moderate Democrat Wayne Stiles in every county in the district expect Iron County, where Blomquist won. She won Houghton County by more than 10 points, capturing 51.5 percent of the county's vote. In the district wide primary, she won with 58.4% of the votes. Barr will face the incumbent Bergman in November.
For the state legislative primary elections, Brian Irizarry and Greg Markkanen ran unopposed for the Democratic Party and the GOP respectively.
Kelly Van Ginhoven ran unopposed in the state senate district for the Democrats.
The GOP side of the State Senate primary was much more contested. Two hopefuls, former state congressman Beau LaFave and 108th State House Representative Dave Prestin ran a close race in Houghton County. LaFave won the county with 57.4% of the vote, but lost in the primary to Prestin, who won with 53.8% of the vote in the U.P.-spanning Senate district.
In Baraga County, the roads and street millage renewal proposal passed 1,116 to 551. Baraga Township's fire millage proposal also passed, 377-187.
In Houghton County, Public Schools of Calumet, Laurium and Keweenaw (CLK) bond proposal passed, 1,238-728. In Adams Township, the Atlantic Mine and South Range cemeteries millage also passed, 321-67.
In Keweenaw County, countywide millage allocations passed, 516-230. Allouez Township fire protection millage, also passed, 306-125, as did the Eagle Harbor Township Emergency Services millage renewal request, 115-29.
In addition to state and federal elections, four of Ontonagon County's 11 townships decided millage questions. In Carp Lake Township, all six millage requests passed. Similarly, Interior Township's millage requests all passed.